Rana’s brother, accomplice held
in jailbreak case
New Delhi, February 29
The Delhi Police special cell today arrested two persons, including the one who had escorted Sher Singh Rana, main accused in the Phoolan Devi murder case, out of the Tihar jail on February 17.

The brother of Sher Singh Rana, the prime accused in the Phoolan Devi murder case, Vikram Rana (centre), and an unidentified person, suspected accomplice who helped Sher Singh Rana escape from Tihar Jail, at the Delhi police special cell in New Delhi after they were arrested on Sunday.
— PTI
photo

UP police wasn’t swift enough, says ex-DGP
Godhra carnage
Ahmedabad, February 29
In a significant disclosure, former Gujarat DGP K. Chakravarthi has stated that the Uttar Pradesh police had not communicated ‘in time’ about the return of ‘kar sevaks’ from Ayodhya and the intimation came only after the Godhra train carnage.

Panel resents Centre’s attitude
Probe into Netaji’s death
Kolkata, February 29
The Chairman of the Netaji Inquiry Commission, Justice Manoj Kumar Mukherjee has claimed that the commission is in the possession of some concrete documents and evidence that will resolve the mystery of Netaji’s death.

Political parties hail poll
announcement
New Delhi, February 29
The BJP, the Congress and the Left parties today welcomed the announcement of poll schedule by the Election Commission and hoped that all parties would abide by the model code of conduct laid down by the Commission.

Sonia to tour Himachal on March 3, 4
New Delhi, February 29
Congress president Sonia Gandhi will tour three of the four parliamentary constituences in Himachal Pradesh on March 3 and 4.
On the tour, she will mainly pass through rural areas in the Lok Sabha
constituencies of Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur.

Badamsinh Juwansinh Gurjar, 60,
displays his moustache in Ahmedabad on Sunday. He says his 12.5-foot-long moustache
has not been cut for 22 years, in his attempt to enter the Guinness
Book of World Records.
— Reuters

Laloo hails 3-phased poll for Bihar
Patna, February 29
RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav today welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to hold Lok Sabha poll in Bihar in three stages, saying “we are ready for the battle
royale.” He said the state government would request the commission to deploy
adequate security forces in the state so that “nobody can claim that we win
elections by rigging.”

Vidarbha likely to
be poll issue
Mumbai, February 29
The demand for carving Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra is likely to be a major issue in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party has managed to rope in proponents of a separate Vidarbha state as part of an alliance to contest the forthcoming elections.

Advani gives up IAF
chopper
Tumkur (Karnataka),
February 29
Immediately after the announcement of the poll schedule, Deputy Prime Minister
L.K. Advani today gave up the Indian Air Force helicopter and preferred to take the road to go back to Bangalore in view of the model code of conduct coming into force.

PM denies phone-tapping allegations
New Delhi, February 29
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday categorically denied Congress allegations that phones of its top leaders in Karnataka were being tapped by the Central Government.

Holi in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh,
on Sunday. The tradition heralds the beginning of spring.
— Reuters

Music, dance answer to terror: Kalam
New Delhi, February 29
Expressing concern over the loss of several human lives due to terrorism in the country, President Abdul Kalam tonight wondered if music and dance can become a tool for ending the menace.

HC asks Nalco to explain on sexual harassment
Mumbai, February 29
In the wake of National Aluminium Corporation (Nalco) chief allegedly molesting a woman employee, the Bombay High Court has directed the company to explain on March 3 whether it is following the guidelines of the Supreme Court in regard to sexual harassment at workplace.

Now, 35 kg luggage allowed on
Samjhauta
New Delhi, February 29
The Indian and Pakistan Railways will now allow passengers aboard the bi-weekly Samjhauta Express to carry only two pieces of luggage weighing 35 kg free. This decision has been taken in view of the passenger rush and security considerations for the Indo-Pak cricket series next month.

Tributes paid to Morarji Desai
New Delhi, February 29
Floral tributes were paid at the portrait of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai in the Central Hall of Parliament on the occasion of his 108th birth anniversary.

New Delhi, February 29
The Delhi Police special cell today arrested two persons, including the one who had escorted Sher Singh Rana, main accused in the Phoolan Devi murder case, out of the Tihar jail on February 17. The accused were identified as Sandeep Thakur (24), a resident of Roorkee, and Vikram Singh Rana (24), brother of Sher Singh Rana.

Sandeep had posed as constable Arvind Kumar, 3 Battalion of the Delhi Armed Police, and walked away with Rana from the jail on the pretext of taking him to Roshanabad court in Hardwar.

The case was transferred to the Crime Branch to identify the persons who had helped Sher Singh in his escape.

However, with the arrest of the two the investigations into the escape of Sher Singh had been transferred to the special cell from February 28.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh said sleuths received information that Sandeep was in Roorkee. But when they reached Roorkee Sandeep shifted his base to Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, to his ancestral house and was apprehended from his uncle’s house. During interrogation Sandeep revealed that he used to meet Sher Singh in Hardwar along with Vikram in the Roshanabad court. When Sher Singh realised that death sentence was certain after the witnesses had started deposing against him he had expressed his desire to escape. Then Sher Singh and his brother Vikram motivated Sandeep to help the former escape from the jail. For this Sandeep was promised Rs 6 lakh and a new Maruti car. Accordingly Sandeep visited Tihar jail, at least seven times posing himself as Pradeep Kumar, legal counsel of Sher Singh and also as Ravi with the help of fake documents. After planning the escape Vikram gave Rs 5,000 to Sandeep for getting as police uniform and handcuffs. Again on February 16 Sandeep met Sher Singh in the jail and finalised the escape plan for the next day and left for Ghaziabad.

On February 17 Sandeep started from Ghaziabad and reached ISBT. From there he took an auto and reached the jail. After entering the jail he posed himself as constable Arvind Kumar and told the authorities that he was taking Sher Singh to Roshanabad jail in Hardwar.

Once out of the jail, they removed the handcuffs in the auto and reached ISBT and then went to Ghaziabad by bus. During this time Sandeep also handed over Rs 10,000 to Sher Singh, given by Vikram and parted ways. Sandeep again met Sher Singh in some place in western UP and handed over Rs 1 lakh. Karnal Singh said the sleuths had evidence to prove the involvement of the suspects. We are also investigating the involvement of the jail officials in this connection.

PTI adds: Meanwhile, the Uttaranchal Police said today in Dehra Dun that the Special Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has picked up a contractor, Paras Kumar, from Roorkee in Hardwar district for questioning.

The Delhi Police is also conducting raids at several areas in and around Roorkee to trace out Rana, Roorkee Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohan Singh Rawat said.

Ahmedabad, February 29
In a significant disclosure, former Gujarat DGP K. Chakravarthi has stated that the Uttar Pradesh police had not communicated ‘in time’ about the return of ‘kar sevaks’ from Ayodhya and the intimation came only after the Godhra train carnage.

“Due to the delay by the UP police in communicating the date and name of train of the return journey of the ‘kar sevaks’ from Ayodhya to Gujarat, no special precautionary measures could be undertaken by the Gujarat police prior to the Godhra carnage,” Mr Chakravarthi said in his affidavit filed before the two-man post-Godhra riot inquiry commission comprising Justice G.T. Nanavati and Justice K.G. Shah recently.

“As a matter of fact, such intimation was received at the state police headquarters/state CID (Intelligence) only on February 28, 2002, at 8.15 am, that is after the Godhra train carnage incident,” Chakravarthi said in the affidavit filed on January 31, 2004 - the day he retired from service.

On February 7, 2002, the Additional DG, CID (Intelligence) informed all DSPs that in pursuance to holding of ‘Ram Maha Yagna’ at Ayodhya by the VHP, the state branch of the VHP was to hold meetings in various district headquarters and towns to enlist volunteers to participate in the ‘Yagna’, the former DGP has stated.

“State CID (Intelligence) had collected information that about 3,500 ‘kar sevaks’ were to proceed from Gujarat to Ayodhya to attend the ‘Yagna’ and had communicated the same ‘in time’ to the UP police authorities,” the affidavit said.

The State CID (Intelligence had also alerted the Gujarat Railway Police as also SPs to take `necessary precautionary measures’ in their respective jurisdictions, Mr Chakravarthy said.

The electronic media also drew a flak from Mr Chakravarthi, who has stated that the repeated telecast of the carnage had affected the `psyche’ of the people.

“Godhra train carnage incident was immediately and repeatedly telecast by the electronic media on February 27. The gruesome spectacle which was thus telecast repeatedly, affected the psyche of people at large,” the former DGP said .

Mr Chakravarthi has quoted 27 instances when the police intervened and saved a large number of people, mostly Muslims and shifted them to safer places during the communal violence. —
PTI

Kolkata, February 29
The Chairman of the Netaji Inquiry Commission, Justice Manoj Kumar Mukherjee has claimed that the commission is in the possession of some concrete documents and evidence that will resolve the mystery of Netaji’s death.

The chairman alleged that the commission was not getting necessary help and cooperation from the Centre for conducting an inquiry into Netaji’s death. What is now needed is to conduct the DNA test of a pair of teeth stated to be of Netaji’s, and Netaji’s remnants and ashes preserved at the Renkuji temple, the chairman stressed.

Justice Mukherjee said Dr Teri Milton; a DNA expert of New York had volunteered to conduct the DNA test on Netaji’s ashes if these were in proper conditions. Dr Saugata Bose of Harvard University, who is the nephew of Netaji, also agreed to give his blood sample for DNA test, if required, in resolving the death mystery.

He said the commission wanted Dr Milton’s expertise to be utilised in conducting the inquiry into Netaji’s death mystery.

The chairman alleged though he had requested the Centre several times to immediately furnish the commission with the pictorial documents and other remnants of Netaji, preserved at the Renkuji temple, there had been no response so far.

New Delhi, February 29
The BJP, the Congress and the Left parties today welcomed the announcement of poll schedule by the Election Commission and hoped that all parties would abide by the model code of conduct laid down by the Commission.

The Left parties and the Congress said that the announcement of poll schedule would prevent “the BJP-led government from using the tax payers money for political ends.”

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar expressed confidence that the party-led NDA would get a renewed mandate from the people to carry forward its programmes.

He said the party hoped that the level of campaign by the Opposition would be decent and the elections would be held in a peaceful atmosphere.

Welcoming the decision of Election Commission to hold this Lok Sabha poll in four phases, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said it was for the Election
Commission to decide the manner in which the elections were held.

He also welcomed the decision of EC to use electronic voting machines for voting.

Maintaining that tax payers’ money was being used to its advantage by the NDA through the ad campaigns, Mr Sibal said the announcement of poll schedule would prevent this.

Mr Sibal also assured that the party would not give ticket to those with criminal background in the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.

Stating that the enforcement of the model code of conduct following the announcement of the Lok Saha poll schedule would prevent the BJP-led NDA to use taxpayers money for
political ends, the Left parties today urged the poll panel to also ensure the deployment of adequate paramilitary forces in sensitive parts to ensure free, fair and fearless elections.

“Overall we welcome the announcement of schedule as it has brought to an end the BJP-led government’s media blitz for political ends,’’
CPI(M) leader S.R. Pillai said.

On the staggered polls in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and other states, the
CPI(M) leader said one day poll in all states might have been possible if there were sufficient number of paramilitary forces in the country to assist the poll officers. He said the Left, along with other political parties, in its meeting on February 20 had urged the Election Commission to hold one-day poll in all the states.

CPI National Secretary D. Raja said that the ruling parties could use some undesirable practices because of this staggered schedule.

New Delhi, February 29
Congress president Sonia Gandhi will tour three of the four parliamentary constituences in Himachal Pradesh on March 3 and 4.

On the tour, she will mainly pass through rural areas in the Lok Sabha
constituencies of Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur.

State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and PCC chief Vidya Stokes were in the
Capital today to finalise the dates and schedule of Ms
Gandhi’s visit.

Ms Stokes told The Tribune that the Congress president would begin her tour from Kangra on March 3.

She will rest for the night at Mandi and leave for Hamirpur the next day. Ms Gandhi will visit Una before returning to the capital on March 4.

The Congress faces tough contest in all the three Lok Sabha seats to be covered
by the party president during her visit. The party had failed to win a single seat in the
last Lok Sabha poll with
three seats going to the BJP and one to the Himachal
Vikas Congress. The HVC candidate Dhani Ram Shandil has now joined the Congress and is likely to be fielded by the party from Shimla (reserved) seat.

Sources said the state leaders also had discussions with the central leadership about the choice of candidates for the Lok Sabha poll. Two names each were being considered for the Kangra, Hamirpur and Mandi seats, the sources said.

Ms Gandhi’s road tour to Himachal Pradesh comes after her tours to Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Haryana. Ms Gandhi is likely to tour Punjab by the middle of next month.

A meeting of the coordination committee of the Punjab Congress will be held here tomorrow regarding preparations of Lok Sabha elections and the schedule of Ms Gandhi’s two-day road tour in the state.

Sources said PCC chief
H.S. Hanspal has given the AICC a proposal about Ms Gandhi’s visit.

New Delhi, February 29
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today alleged that the Centre was discriminating with the state in the allocation of development funds.

The Chief Minister, who met with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders in the Capital, said the Centre was behaving “indifferent” towards the state, as it was not releasing the due share of the state in various Central Government schemes.

He said “unnecessary queries” were being raised leading to delay in implementation of Central schemes. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the common man in the state had not
benefitted, though Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee described himself as a Himachali. “I have respect for Mr Vajpayee as the Prime Minister, parliamentarian and politician, but his contribution to the development of the state is not significant,” he added.

Terming NDA government’s policies as “anti-poor”, he said the “propaganda about feel good factor” would adversely hit the BJP, as majority of the state’s population resided in rural areas and had not
benefited from any policy of the Central Government.

He said over 14,000 functional posts would be filled by the government to streamline the functioning of public utility departments.

New Delhi, February 29
The Congress Central Election Committee is understood to have finalised names of party candidates in about 60 seats of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim and Chhattisgarh for the Lok Sabha poll.

The CEC meeting, which lasted nearly three hours, was presided over by party president Sonia Gandhi.

Davangere (Karnataka),
February 29
In a jolt to ruling Congress ahead of elections, former Karnataka Chief Minister S Bangarappa today announced his decision to quit the party, commended the Vajpayee government and did not rule out the possibility of joining the BJP.

Drawing the curtains down abruptly on his much-speculated move, Mr Bangarappa told reporters at Harihar in Davangere that “it is certain that I have decided to leave the Congress”.

Sulking over the party leadership ‘sidelining’ him, Mr Bangarappa did not disclose his next move. —
PTI

Patna, February 29
RJD President Laloo Prasad Yadav today welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to hold Lok Sabha poll in Bihar in three stages, saying “we are ready for the battle
royale.”

He said the state government would request the commission to deploy adequate security forces in the state so that “nobody can claim that we win elections by rigging.”

“Let Union Home Minister
L.K. Advani send cops from Delhi too. We have the support of the common man and they will vote us to power,” he told reporters here.

Mr Yadav said he would contest from two parliamentary constituencies — Madhepura and Chapra — at present held by Union Ministers Sharad Yadav and Rajiv Pratap Rudy respectively.

“There are no differences among the partners of the secular front over seat-sharing in Bihar,” he
claimed.

Rubbishing the NDA allegation that the rival secular front had no ‘neta’ (leader) or ‘niti’ (policy), Mr Yadav said it had both but unlike the ruling alliance at the Centre, which is “advertising” Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the post, did not believe in publicising the name of the leader.

Asked to name those who could be the prime ministerial candidate of the secular front, Mr Yadav named Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Lok Janshakti Party
(LJP) President Ram Vilas Paswan.

Mr Vajpayee, he alleged, had hurt the sentiments of people of Bihar by saying that he was “Atal” and not a “Bihari,” adding “We will take the matter to the people.” —
PTI

Mumbai, February 29
The demand for carving Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra is likely to be a major issue in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to rope in proponents of a separate Vidarbha state as part of an alliance to contest the forthcoming elections.

The Vidarbha Aghadi, a body formed to pursue the cause of a separate state, has openly come out in support of the BJP. Observers here say leaders of the regional outfit may contest the elections supported by the Shiv Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra.

Senior leaders of the Vidarbha Aghadi include Sharad Joshi, leader of the farmers’ organisation Shetkari Sanghatana, newspaper baron and former Congress politician Banwarilal Purohit, Republican Party leader Prakash Ambedkar, and rebel Nationalist Congress Party leader Datta Meghe. All four leaders had formed the Vidarbha Aghadi last year.

Vidarbha is a traditional bastion of the Congress with 11 seats in the Lok Sabha and 66 seats in the state legislature. By entering into an alliance with the Vidarbha Aghadi, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra hopes to improve its tally in the region.

Industrialists in the region are the biggest supporters of a separate Vidarbha state.

Tumkur (Karnataka),
February 29
Immediately after the announcement of the poll schedule, Deputy Prime Minister
L.K. Advani today gave up the Indian Air Force helicopter and preferred to take the road to go back to Bangalore in view of the model code of conduct coming into force.

The moment he came to know that election dates had been announced and the commission’s declaration that the model code of conduct came into force immediately, Mr Advani, who was here for an election meeting, chose to take the newly laid four-lane Expressway to Bangalore constructed as part of the Prime Minister’s Golden Quadrilateral Project.

After the road journey, he went to Mangalore by a private aircraft and later to Delhi from there.

The model code of conduct bars use of Air Force jets and helicopters for election campaign except in the case of Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Mr Advani asserted today that there was no setback to the ongoing peace dialogue with the Hurriyat amalgam as a result of the latter linking the human rights issue in Jammu and Kashmir with the talks.

It was “no setback”, Mr Advani told reporters at
Tumkur.

Earlier, on board a special aircraft, Mr Advani likened the BJP to “modern version of the Congress before Independence” and made an oblique attack on the main opposition party for promoting dynastic politics.

“In 1947, people joined the Congress with a feeling of patriotism. Now, they are joining the BJP as they want to contribute to the good of the country,” Mr Adavni told reporters accompanying him on his visit to Bangalore. —
PTI

New Delhi, February 29
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday categorically denied Congress allegations that phones of its top leaders in Karnataka were being tapped by the Central Government.

“The government is not tapping anybody’s telephones,” Mr Vajpayee told newspersons on the sidelines of a function, to release the Devnagri transcription of freedom fighter Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad’s “Tarjumanul Quran”, at his residence here.

Karnataka’s former Chief Minister Veerappa Moily, and the Congress’ state unit spokesperson V. S. Ugrappa had alleged that the BJP leaders had resorted to telephone tapping to keep a watch on the poll strategies of the party.

New Delhi, February 29
Expressing concern over the loss of several human lives due to terrorism in the country, President Abdul Kalam tonight wondered if music and dance can become a tool for ending the menace.

"I was thinking whether there is any alternative solution other than military, economic and judicial approach to end this problem", he said on the occasion of Rukmini Devi Arundale Birth Centenary Celebrations here.

"Can music and dance bind the hearts when the minds are disturbed and hearts are heavy? Answer seems to be a positive yes. I can," Mr Kalam said. —
PTI

Mumbai, February 29
In the wake of National Aluminium Corporation (Nalco) chief allegedly molesting a woman employee, the Bombay High Court has directed the company to explain on March 3 whether it is following the guidelines of the Supreme Court in regard to sexual harassment at workplace.

The direction was given on a petition filed by the victim, who was allegedly molested by Nalco’s Chairman-cum-Managing Director C. Venkatraman. The petitioner sought protection and urged for a direction to the authorities to institute a departmental inquiry against the officers concerned.

The victim urged that departmental inquiry should be launched against CMD Venkatraman and Regional Manager Virendra Singh for their alleged misconduct of sexually molesting her at a city hotel on February 7.

Venkatraman was arrested on February 25 and later released on bail. —
PTI

New Delhi, February 29
The Indian and Pakistan Railways will now allow passengers aboard the bi-weekly Samjhauta Express to carry only two pieces of luggage weighing 35 kg free. This decision has been taken in view of the passenger rush and security considerations for the Indo-Pak cricket series next month.

The Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railways, Mr Davinder P.S. Sandhu, told TNS here yesterday that the new rules like those of international airlines had defined an upper limit for the quantity of luggage and permit carrying free only two pieces of luggage weighing not more than 35 kg free. “This is a joint declaration by
the Indian and Pakistan Railways and would apply to the entire Samjhauta Express. There is no point having unnecessary luggage on board. “You can carry
35 kg luggage free and another 35 kg on payment. We will not accept anything more than that. Earlier, there was no upper limit on the luggage and passengers were even carrying as many as 15 pieces of luggage. Passengers were allowed to carry luggage weighing 35 kg free and another 35 kg on payment. Luggage exceeding this was allowed to be put in the brake van,’’ he added.

He said passengers would be allowed to carry small women handbags, umbrellas, overcoats, children’s baskets, wheel chairs and crutches for the physically
challenged.

Mr Sandhu said the 14 coaches of Samjhauta Express had a passenger carrying capacity of 1000 and had four sleeper and eight general coaches. He said the train rarely runs to its full capacity but they were expecting a rush. “It would of course depend on the number of visas that are issued,’’ Mr Sandhu added.

He said the decision would contribute to speedy clearance at the border check point.

The special train (Delhi-Attari) leaves Delhi junction at 9 pm on every Wednesday and Sunday and reaches Attari at 4.40 am the next day. In the return, the train runs every Thursday and Monday at 8.05 pm to reach Delhi junction at 3.35 am.

New Delhi, February 29
Floral tributes were paid at the portrait of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai in the Central Hall of Parliament on the occasion of his 108th birth anniversary.

Union Minister Sangh Priya Gautam, former MPs R.C. Vikal and S.P. Malviya and Lok Sabha Secretary-General G.C. Malhotra were among the dignitaries who paid tributes to the freedom fighter.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat also brought out a booklet containing the profile of the former Prime Minister. —
UNI

BRIEFLY

WOMAN LIGHTS FATHER'S
PYRE
JAUNPUR: Undaunted by social taboo and criticism,
a woman doctor lit the
pyre of her father amidst chanting of Vedic hymns
here. Reports said a private medical practitioner in Sikrara market, Dr Chandi Prasad Singh, died on Saturday in the district. He is survived by two daughters. On hearing the news of her father's demise, Dr Ranjana Singh arrived from Allahabad and performed the last rites
of her father on the banks of Ganga Gomti. Rari MLA Dhananjay Singh and
several others were also
present. — UNI

MCC DEMANDS RS 10 CR FROM SBI
NAWADE (BIHAR): The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) extremists have demanded Rs 10 crore
from the Manager of the local State Bank of India
main branch and threatened
to blow up the bank along with the employees if it
failed to meet their demands. Official sources said on Sunday that the MCC extremists pasted posters at the main gate of the bank on Friday night. The extremists had threatened to blow up the bank by exploding dynamite during the peak working hours of the bank. —
UNI

MIG-21 CRASH TOLL RISES TO 5
JAMNAGAR (GUJRAT): A woman, who was seriously injured in the MiG-21
fighter plane crash, near
here, on February 20, succumbed to injuries raising the toll in the accident to five. Halima Sumra, who was undergoing treatment at
the Civil Hospital in the
city following the serious injury after the crash, died
on Saturday evening, hosptial sources said on Sunday. A MiG-21 fighter jet had crashed in a residential area killing four persons and
injuring 14 others at Lakhabaval village, about
20 km from here. — PTI